It's THAT time of year again when I have my year-end reviews. This series will cover my bikes I used during 2020, any changes made, and why I still like each one- or don't! Thanks for reading!
This bike needs no introduction to anyone who has been reading this blog for the last decade. This is my original fat bike, the one I got as a frame and fork for my 50th birthday from several friends who secretly got together and purchased it for me. (You know who you are- Thanks Again!)
So, that was how it all got started in 2011 as I headed off into the snow with this Mukluk. It was a revelation, it was a lot of fun, and I quickly found the limits of what this platform was capable of. That only served to push me onward to getting the Ti Muk a year later. Then three years afterward I got the Blackborow DS, which has been pretty much the ultimate go anywhere through anything fat bike.
Meanwhile, the Snow Dog fell into disuse. For several years it was just kind of taking up space in my bike corral. Then I thought about selling it. However; as this feeling came over me I noted that my son was outgrowing his bikes at an alarming pace. It might be that he could use the Snow Dog someday. So, I hung onto the bike with that in mind.
Last year I set it up for him and he ended up riding it some, but his main need was for a bike he could lock to a rack and to just cruise around on without being hassled. The Snow Dog was not that bike. It drew too much attention when he was riding it from people that I didn't need paying him attention. Plus, it wasn't going to be around long if he locked it to a pole at football practice. My old 1987 Schwinn Sierra was a better bike for him in that regard, so back went the Snow Dog into the Lab.
Then I decided that I just needed to make use of this bike as my 'gravel' travel fat bike and I set it up for myself again. Since that point I've stuck those Whisky Company Milhouse Bars on it and well, it has been fun to ride it again. What the future holds for this bike, I do not know.
At one time I was thinking I just needed a fat bike for a bike packing role. One that could be an off-road tourer, and maybe have a rack on it, or what have you. I was considering the last Pugsley version for this, but then I realized, I already have that bike. It's the Snow Dog after all. So, we will see how it all goes.
3 comments:
Okay, so I've been looking at finally getting a fat bike for winter. What I'm wondering about is the differences in characteristics between your Snow Dog and your Blackbourow which makes the Blackbourow the ultimate go everywhere bike over the Snow Dog or even throwing your Ti Mukluk into the mix. I've always thought that any of these bikes were made to go everywhere and do. So what are the differences? Inquiring minds want to know. Thank you for your informative blogs and your time taken to do them.
@baric- it's all about flotation. Like XC skis, you need to choose the proper length/spring rate for your body weight to extract the best performance. Likewise, with fat bikes, it all is going to depend upon your expectations for performance. If you desire to traverse terrain which no other bicycle has a chance of going through, including many fat bikes, only the widest tires on the widest rims will even begin to help you accomplish the feat. Of course, this could also be overkill for certain situations, much like a back country XC ski would be overkill for a groomed trail for racing XC skis. You could do it, but you'd be slower. (Not to mention the fact that you might muck up the groomed trail itself.)
Fat biking has many parallels to XC skiing, so that's why I use that metaphor. Perhaps a full post on the subject is in order.
@Guitar Ted – Nailed it, Brother. I'm glad the Snow Dog is still in your fleet. Fatbikes are fun.
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